Home / Environment / Yoichi's Pinot Noir Boom Threatened by Rapid Climate Change
Yoichi's Pinot Noir Boom Threatened by Rapid Climate Change
12 Oct
Summary
- Yoichi, Japan emerges as top Pinot Noir producer in past 2 decades
- Domaine Takahiko's 2017 Pinot Noir wins acclaim at Copenhagen's Noma
- Yoichi's temperatures now on par with Burgundy, threatening Pinot Noir growth
Over the past 2 decades, the small Japanese town of Yoichi has emerged as an unlikely hub for premium Pinot Noir production, with its wines earning global recognition. In 2017, Domaine Takahiko's Pinot Noir was featured on the wine list of Copenhagen's renowned Noma restaurant, causing a surge in demand and prices for the town's wines.
However, Yoichi's winemakers are now growing increasingly concerned that the town's suitability for Pinot Noir cultivation may be short-lived. Climate change has caused temperatures in the region to rise rapidly, with the growing season now on par with France's Burgundy region—a level that was previously unimaginable. This year, Yoichi experienced its hottest summer on record, with average temperatures 3 degrees Celsius higher than the previous 30-year average.
The warmer and longer summers are causing Pinot Noir grapes to ripen too quickly, leading to undesirable sugar and acid levels. Increased rainfall during the harvest season has also damaged the delicate grapes. Winemakers are now exploring alternative grape varieties like Merlot and Syrah that may be better suited to the region's shifting climate. As Yoichi's reputation as a Pinot Noir haven has just begun to take hold, the town's farmers face an uncertain future in the face of the climate crisis.
